Need help with hotel/EP/number of days decisions

Smecha

Earning My Ears
Joined
Sep 28, 2017
Hi,
We are going to Universal for our first time and staying at Cabana Bay Tues. Oct. 24-Sat. Oct. 28. Our flight gets in late Tuesday night and we fly out Saturday evening. I am trying to decide which of these two options to choose:

1. Stay at Cabana bay the whole time and get the 4 day park-to-park tickets. Saturday we will only be able to go in the morning because our flight leaves that day. We would not have express passes but would take advantage of EE every morning.

2. I just found a APH rate for Tuesday night at PBH. We would stay one night and spend the other nights at Cabana Bay. We would only be able to utilize the EP on Wednesday because our flight gets in late Tues. We would then get 3 day park-to-park tickets and not go Saturday morning.

The rates for the hotels with EP the rest of nights of our stay are crazy expensive, like >$600/night. We have a family of 6 so would have to get a suite or two rooms. Any thoughts on whether it would be better to go for an extra morning or have EP passes for one day?

Also, does anyone know if I make a reservation for a hotel and cancel before the 6 day window can I get my deposit back? BTW we are Harry Potter fans and mostly going for that area of the parks. Thank you!
 
If you found an APH rate, that means you have to show your annual pass. You keep describing your 4-day or 3-day tix. This does not line up.

EE is a great way to tour without the EP. Buying the EP separately will cost your fam of 6 tons of $$. We have stayed at Cabana Bay and did fine without it. In fact, by 10am, we'd have all of the headliners done.

EE will only be available for one park. Use one of your days to rope drop the other park instead of EE.
 
Smecha, make your decision soon and book your hotel if you want to switch hotels.

Some dates are filling up quickly
 
Our first trip we stayed at CB. We were there when the gates opened every morning and left in the early afternoon when things got too crowded. We were able to ride pretty much everything we wanted at least once. Since you are going when school is in session (we were there near spring break), perhaps the crowds will be light enough in the mornings that you wouldn't need EP.

EE really just gets you early access to Harry Potter at ONE of the parks. If you are not a HP fan, the extra hour doesn't mean much, especially going to the same park 4 days in a row.

As wookiebeck mentioned, to get an APH rate at a hotel, you'll need to purchase at least one Annual Pass, which makes you PBH not more expensive. It looks like CB also has APH rates, so you might want to get 1 annual pass anyway. We opted to get the seasonal pass for all 4 of us (for around $35/person more than 4 day P2P passes) and will be going on our second Universal trip in November. This time we got a really good rate on RPR by booking early, so we'll have EPs.

The other consideration is the hassle of moving hotels. Checking in late, checking out early the next day, moving luggage, and then checking in again the next day does not sounds like a fun way to start your vacation.
 


I have a similar question. I am currently booked at RPR from Jan 2-5. We have the 4 day P2P pass. We will be driving home on the afternoon of Jan 5. We will already be in Orlando (off-site) starting from Dec 29. I booked the three nights at RPR (CL) thinking that would be good enough...plus I had sticker shock from the price. Now I am wondering if I should add a fourth night and change our stay from Jan 1-Jan 5. We get a lower daily rate (SMSM) and then we would skip the parks on Friday. I was toying with the idea of visiting VB one day (depending on weather) and then finishing up the night at USO. On the other hand if we keep our current reservation, between the EP and EE and open til 9 pm each night, do we really need to add another night? Basically it means we would end up going to the parks on Jan 1 instead of part of the day Jan 5. Would Jan 1 be too crowded that we would enjoy a part day on Jan 5 more than a full day Jan 1? Thoughts? I need to decide before Jan 1 is no longer available to book at RPR CL.
 


Yes it was still available last I checked. It would make for an easy decision if it wasn't available any longer. :)
 
Macraven.... I just double checked and I can get a non club room on January 1 with the SMSM rate, but no club level. I read somewhere (not sure on this thread or another) that you can book a regular room and upgrade it to club level, it just wouldn't be on the 7th floor. Is that correct? On the other hand maybe it's a sign I should stick to my original plan.....
 
You can book a room and add club if it is available

You can do this in advance or at time you check in

At rpr it usually is about $100 more per night of your stay to add club

Believe the other two hotels have the same add on price.

But if club is sold out, you can not upgrade

Club lounge only allows a specific number
Once that number has been reached, no upgrades will be done

They can have quite a few rooms on floor 7 that are booked for one or two peeps in the rooms

Normally the average per room is 4 peeps

If that happens then easy to be able to allow some to uograde for club


I have stayed on floor 6 and have had club
I would get two room keys
One for my room on a lower floor and a key card to use for the elevator to reach 7 th floor
 
Macraven.... I just double checked and I can get a non club room on January 1 with the SMSM rate, but no club level. I read somewhere (not sure on this thread or another) that you can book a regular room and upgrade it to club level, it just wouldn't be on the 7th floor. Is that correct? On the other hand maybe it's a sign I should stick to my original plan.....

We had the experience of not being allowed to upgrade at checkin because they were sold out of club level.
 
We had the experience of not being allowed to upgrade at checkin because they were sold out of club level.

I have read others that waited to the last minute to upgrade, were denied also

When club numbers reach their limit, no more add on's
 

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